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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28554090">there's an ache in you (put there by the ache in me)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ellalopez/pseuds/ellalopez'>ellalopez</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Carmen Sandiego (Cartoon 2019)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst with a Happy Ending, Episode: s02e08 The Stockholm Syndrome Caper, F/F, carmen all throughout s3: jules? yeah i trust her with my life. where is she i wish she was here wtf, first work in this fandom, i wrote this in five hours, let these two have a long conversation challenge, mentions of stockholm, the egyptian caper, then there's julia sitting in her office: carmen definitely hates me. nobody hmu, tw: brief mentions of drugs and kidnapping, written pre-season 4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-11 00:23:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,133</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28554090</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ellalopez/pseuds/ellalopez</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>carmen wasn’t going to let her fall, she knew that, but she wasn’t going to risk the artifact getting into V.I.L.E’s hands either, so-</p><p>the realization came to julia in startling clarity.</p><p>oh. maybe she <i>was</i> going to fall.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Julia "Jules" Argent &amp; Carmen Sandiego | Black Sheep, Julia "Jules" Argent/Carmen Sandiego | Black Sheep</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>307</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>there's an ache in you (put there by the ache in me)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>BEING </b>held hostage wasn’t in Julia’s job description.</p><p>It would be, if she still worked at A.C.M.E. Chief had mentioned going undercover, being used as bait, or it simply being a package deal with the dangers of the job, but she’d <em> quit. </em> She was a history professor now, and <em> very </em>late to her afternoon class. Her students couldn’t afford to be missing any classes with exams coming up so soon. </p><p>She hadn’t anticipated V.I.L.E coming after her at all, the bag pulled over her head and cloth pressed to her mouth when she left her office. </p><p><em> Shit. The test papers. </em>They were probably strewn across the floor for any passing students to see. She’d have to rewrite it.</p><p>Julia swam in and out of consciousness, black spots clouding her vision when she tried to force her eyes open. She struggled to stay awake, and fought with the searing pain in her head before finally accepting defeat. She let herself succumb to the darkness, drifting into an induced sleep.</p><p>Nails dug into her shoulder, leaving crescent moons in her skin, and there was a prick at her neck. Suddenly she was alert, an unnatural feeling of adrenaline coursing in her veins.</p><p>Ah. Stood in front of her was the operative that captured her, an empty syringe tucked in her shirt pocket. Julia tried not to think about what they’d injected in her, but her mind still raced. <em> Was it a truth serum? An experimental drug? Was she going to be a lab rat? </em></p><p>For the next hour, the operative attempted to scare her into revealing what she knew about an Egyptian artifact, and Carmen’s plans to retrieve it. She didn’t answer, opting to stare at the floor instead, which earned her a stinging slap to the cheek.</p><p>She truly didn’t know what Carmen was up to, though. The only valuable piece of information she could offer was her knowledge on what was written in the hieroglyphics, considering she'd studied them briefly, but she knew better than to say that.</p><p>After knocking her out for an hour, they’d woken her up and given it another go, pointing tasers with buzzing green electricity inches away from her face. When that didn’t work, they’d shocked her on the side, bringing her back to unconsciousness. </p><p>Squinting hazily as she came to once more, Julia took note of her surroundings; they'd apparently dragged her inside a crumbling, ancient pyramid. <em>Since when were they in Egypt? </em>Her hands were bound tight in front of her, practically on her knees as the V.I.L.E operative clutched her over the edge of a wide, gaping chasm.</p><p><em> Fuck, </em> Julia thought. <em> This was going to be a fun way to go, drugged and discarded in a foreign country. </em></p><p>“Last chance to tell us what you know, Miss Argent.” The operative was sneering, sick with satisfaction at how much she was shaking. “I hear Carmen’s quite fond of you, and it’d be a shame to let that pretty face of yours go to waste.”</p><p><em> Carmen? Fond of </em> <b> <em>her?</em> </b> Julia found that difficult to believe.</p><p>As if she was summoned, there was a commotion in the hallway, with faint grunting and punches being thrown. The operative paused, eyes narrowing, but Julia saw her first- a blur of red, and an object shining gold in her grasp. Carmen Sandiego strolled inside and grinned, her red lips curled into a smirk. She stopped walking at the edge and spun the artifact in her hands, enjoying the way the operative flinched.</p><p>“Sure would be a shame if <em> no one </em> gets to see the lost treasure.”</p><p>Her voice echoed sharply within the pyramid’s walls, the threat clear as day. Carmen’s gaze was cool, calculated, and if Julia was right, formulating the best escape route out of the pyramid for them both. The operative gripped her tighter, and Julia winced, glancing at the artifact and then up at Carmen’s face. Carmen wasn’t going to let her fall, she knew that, but she wasn’t going to risk the artifact getting into V.I.L.E’s hands either, so-</p><p>The realization came to Julia in startling clarity.</p><p>Maybe she <em> was </em>going to fall.</p><p>The last time she’d seen the thief, she’d been lying on a makeshift stretcher, hooked up to the A.C.M.E rescue helicopter in the sky. Carmen was bruised and frostbitten, shivering despite the blankets wrapped around her. She’d held onto her communicator pen, her voice carrying far enough that Julia was able to hear from a distance.</p><p><em> Friends, </em>she’d said. They caught each other’s eyes briefly, Carmen’s grey and exhausted, and hers dark with what she hoped was conveyed as apology. And guilt. God, did she feel horrible about the near-death situation she’d put Carmen in.</p><p>When Carmen was whisked away by her friends- the redhead duo shooting withering glares their way- Julia tried not to explode at Chief again. The way Carmen’s warmth had melted to steel when the agents rushed in…</p><p>
  <em> Trust you, huh? </em>
</p><p>Julia wanted to call out, scream to the wind that it was all a misunderstanding, a lapse in communication, that she<em> could </em> be trusted; but she knew it was no use. The lady in red was gone.</p><p>A yank on her jacket jolted her back to the present. Julia looked at Carmen again, sad and no longer afraid of falling. She wouldn’t blame her one bit.</p><p>“Oh, Black Sheep. You and I both know you won’t drop what we both came here to find,” the operative hummed, growing impatient. Julia’s eyebrows furrowed at the nickname, but she stayed silent.</p><p>“Cleo, <em> surely </em> you know my name at this point,” Carmen drawled, then without warning, tossed the artifact high into the air. The operative- Cleo, Julia now knew her as- momentarily faltered, loosening her grip on her shoulder, but didn’t make a move to catch it.</p><p>A beat. Gravity pulled the artifact back down, steadily approaching the pitch-black chasm below. Cleo hissed and let go, barking at the two people dressed like janitors to <em> move, </em>and sprinted towards the object.</p><p>Julia fell to the floor, slightly dizzy at the quick change in motion. Before she could catch her breath, there was a click, and the sound of a hook shooting at the ceiling.</p><p><em> “Carmen Sandiego!” </em>Cleo was shouting.</p><p>“Aw, lovely. Now you’re getting it,” Carmen replied, landing on the other side. She snapped Julia's handcuffs in half, letting them drop into the abyss. Arms wrapped around her, and something was bumping against her uncomfortably, hidden in the pocket of a red coat. <em> The artifact. She caught it, of course she did. </em></p><p>“Hey, Jules, we have to get out of here, okay? Hold on tight.”</p><p>She wanted to apologize for everything she’d put her through months ago, but this wasn’t the time or place. <em>Why didn't you let her drop me? </em>she wanted to ask.</p><p>Footsteps thundered closer. Julia abandoned the thought and just nodded, squeezing her eyes shut.</p><p> </p><p>~*~</p><p> </p><p>It’s quiet as Carmen half carries, and half swings them out into the cool night.</p><p>It’s a stark difference to just moments earlier, but neither of them say a word, focusing on getting to whatever rendezvous point Carmen and her team set up. Zack and Ivy are in their truck, hidden and parked in the shadows around twenty pyramids away. </p><p>Julia is certain she’s cutting off Carmen’s circulation from how hard she’s holding on. If she is, though, Carmen doesn’t seem to mind, one arm slung over her waist and the other pulling them along.</p><p>The grappling hook is a saviour, really. She shoots at the tall construction cranes, lifting them up into the air, and onto the next platform. A couple other V.I.L.E operatives are scattered around the area- one is a few steps behind them, hopping and climbing to reach them like a goat, while another pops up from a sinkhole in the sand.</p><p>The goat operative lunges and grabs at Julia’s ankle. She shrieks, shaking her foot as aggressively as she can, and Carmen mutters under her breath.</p><p>
  <em> “Le Chevre. Should’ve known the goat would be here.” </em>
</p><p>Carmen aims for the tip of a pyramid up ahead. Julia keeps her arms around her neck, preparing for the next jump, but Le Chevre still hangs on her foot stubbornly.</p><p>“On a scale of one to ten, how opposed are you to losing your foot?” Carmen asks, and for a split second Julia thinks she’s serious. She cracks a smile, and Julia wheezes, giving the goat another kick.</p><p>“<em>Eleven.” </em></p><p>Carmen shrugs, and gestures at Julia to grab the artifact from her pocket. “Shame, it would’ve saved us a million dollars and some time.”</p><p>
  <em> “What—” </em>
</p><p>Carmen shifts their embrace and <em> kicks the artifact out of her hand </em>so it sails in an arch to the left. The goat blinks, then lets go of her ankle, diving to catch it before it shatters.</p><p>It slips from his expecting hands. He swears in French, scrambling to follow its downward spiral.</p><p>Fueled with determination, Julia makes a decision.</p><p>Her reflexes aren’t bad, so she inhales, sliding down, hugging onto Carmen’s leg with one arm. Carmen gapes at her in surprise, but reads her mind and retracts the hook, sending both of them free falling to the ground. Julia swipes at the artifact and miraculously, she catches it…</p><p>...and steadily becomes more aware of how they’re exactly five seconds away from death, or breaking every bone in their bodies; she’s not sure which is worse.</p><p>“The <em> hook, </em>Carmen!”</p><p>
  <em> Oh my God she’s going to die in Egypt and get buried with the mummies and- </em>
</p><p>“Got it!” Carmen hoists her up and swings them to a low platform, luckily unoccupied by any operatives. “You alright there, Jules? That was <em> awesome</em>.”</p><p>“I am going to <em> kill you,” </em>she seethes, gasping lungfuls of air.</p><p>“Please don’t,” Carmen says, amused. “You and your agents already came close once. Plus, wasn’t that whole thing <em> your </em> idea?”</p><p>“We’re going to have to discuss that when we aren’t being chased, but for the record, I <em> am </em> sorry. And I didn’t mean <em> drop us four hundred feet, </em> just <em> lower us </em> an inch or two!”</p><p>“How was I supposed to do <em> that? </em> We were swinging, there was <em> momentum, </em>” Carmen huffs. “Apology accepted,” she adds, “Unless your explanation convinces me otherwise. Does over coffee sound good? I know a place.”</p><p>“Coffee sounds delightful,” Julia agrees, too light headed and disoriented to suggest differently. </p><p>“Then it’s a date,” Carmen says, pleased. Turning to check for their pursuers, Julia groans when she sees the mole crawl out of a nearby sinkhole.</p><p>“She’s here!” the mole yells, and Carmen laughs, slinging her arm back around her waist.</p><p>“Well, Jules, our getaway car awaits.”</p><p>Julia sighs, not looking forward to the dizziness and rushing in her ears.</p><p>“Next time, can we just stick to running?”</p><p>“So I can carry you the entire way when you collapse from the exertion and from the chloroform still in your system?” Carmen deadpans. “I’m good, thanks.”</p><p>Julia doesn’t argue with that, and Carmen’s smile is soft as she swings them over to the next pyramid. <em> There would be a next time, huh? </em></p><p>“Thank you for saving me,” Julia whispers, muffled against her coat.</p><p>“Couldn’t lose my favourite former A.C.M.E agent,” Carmen says, so casually that Julia knows her heart shouldn’t be skipping a beat. She’s grateful for Carmen’s hair, shielding her blush from view.</p><p>“I’m... your favourite,” she states slowly, when she regains the ability to speak.</p><p>“Thought that was obvious,” Carmen snorts, ducking into the shadows where Zack and Ivy are waiting. “Even if A.C.M.E <em> did </em> set the bar pretty low.”</p><p>“Chase isn’t <em> bad</em>, just misguided,” Julia says, mildly defensive of her old partner.</p><p>“Didn’t say he was!” Carmen shoves them in the backseat of the truck, ordering Zack to gun it. He doesn’t hesitate, and they peel away from the pyramids, tires screeching when they hit the road.</p><p>“What about Zari?” Julia asks, and regrets it immediately.</p><p>“Trying to arrest me twice by using those gas guns and almost succeeding the second time does <em> not </em> make for good graces.” Carmen looks uneasy, fidgeting as she remembers the events of Stockholm. Julia bites her lip.</p><p>“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have-”</p><p>“Jules. Stop apologizing when you just got <em> kidnapped</em>,” Carmen scolds. </p><p>Right. She’d have to unpack that while lying awake in the middle of the night. Carmen offers her a hand, her pinky finger tilted at her endearingly. “We’ll talk, yeah? Figure it out later.”</p><p>“Later,” she promises, linking their fingers together. Carmen then leans forward, smoothly covers her hand, and holds it.</p><p>
  <em> Oh. </em>
</p><p>(If Julia progressively gets redder the longer her hand is being held, Carmen pretends not to notice.)</p>
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